Government: Ministerial Responsibilities

Baroness Ashton of Upholland: A revised edition of the list of ministerial responsibilities (October 2007) has been published today. Copies have been placed in the Printed Paper Office and the Libraries of the House.
	The list can also be accessed at www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/ministerial_responsibilities/

Healthcare Commission: Annual Health Check

Lord Darzi of Denham: My right honourable friend the Secretary of State (Alan Johnson) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
	Today the Healthcare Commission has announced publication of the 2006-07 annual health check. The report has been placed in the Library and copies for honourable Members are available from the Vote Office. The report can also be found at www.healthcarecommission.org.uk.
	The annual health check provides an independent assessment of NHS organisations to ensure that they meet high standards and deliver for their patients. These independent ratings give a clear picture about quality of services, which matters most to patients.
	We welcome the results for 2006-07 showing an overall improvement in quality of services and use of resources. The NHS will continue to focus on improving services for patients and addressing poor performance, and we fully support the independent action of the Healthcare Commission to investigate poor performing trusts.

Stamp Duty Land Tax (Zero-Carbon Homes Relief) Regulations 2007

Lord Davies of Oldham: My honourable friend the Economic Secretary to the Treasury (Kitty Ussher) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
	The Finance Act 2007 provides the Treasury with powers to make regulations granting relief from stamp duty land tax on the first sale of a new zero-carbon house. I am pleased to announce that I am today laying before the House of Commons draft regulations under the affirmative procedure entitled the Stamp Duty Land Tax (Zero-Carbon Homes Relief) Regulations 2007.
	These draft regulations follow the announcement in the 2006 Pre-Budget Report by the Chancellor of the Exchequer that a stamp duty land tax exemption would be introduced for the vast majority of new zero-carbon homes in 2007. The relief will help kick-start the market for new highly efficient technologies in homes, both for the fabric of the building and in the use of microgeneration ahead of 2016, and it sets a gold standard for green homes.
	The draft regulations provide that on the first acquisition of a new house meeting the zero-carbon standard, as set out in the regulations, costing up to £500,000 no stamp duty land tax is payable and on the first acquisition of a new zero-carbon house costing in excess of £500,000 there will be a reduction of £15,000 to the stamp duty land tax bill. The exemption will be time-limited for five years until 30 September 2012 but before the end of the time limit the Government will review the effectiveness of the relief and consider the case for an extension.
	Following consultation on the draft regulations the definition of the zero-carbon standard for stamp duty land tax has been closely aligned with the zero-carbon requirements set out in Department for Communities and Local Government's Code for Sustainable for Homes. The rationale for this change is set out in the summary of responses to the consultation on the draft regulations and the Government's response, published today.
	The tax relief will apply retrospectively from 1 October 2007. This means that anyone who completes a transaction on a new zero-carbon home between 1 October 2007 and the date on which the regulations come into force will be entitled to claim the relief.